ABB GoFa socket

Establish a connection between a real ABB robot (or RobotStudio simulation) and a custom (python) node through socket communication.

A RAPID module is used to create a server, while the user node (e.g. Python script) acts as a client. The client-server communication is setup through IP address and port number.

• Robotstudio simulation (virtual controller) + python node on the same PC:

  IP address 127.0.0.1
  port 5000

• Real robot controller + python node:

  IP address: 192.168.125.1
  port 1025

  The IP address and port number must match in both Python node and RAPID module in RobotStudio.

Structure

• The src folder contains a RAPID module (.txt file) and a Python script
• The envs folder contains a RobotStudio environment for simulating a GoFa arm with a virtual controller

Disclaimer

The current configuration has been tested on:

• Robot: ABB 15000-5-95 GoFa 5kg
• Omnicore controller
• RobotWare version 7.12.0
• Python script executed in Spyder v6
• RobotStudio 2025

Usage

Setup all the necessary modules.

1. If needed, download and unpack the RobotStudio environment from envs

In RobotStudio:

1. Go to Controller tab
2. Expand RAPID from the dropdown menu on the left
3. Create a new Program Module and paste the RAPID script (.txt file) from src
4. Click RAPID and Apply

Setup Python node:

1. Copy and paste the Python script and be ready to run it
2. Make sure you have installed the socket python library

In RobotStudio (or FlexPendant for the real controller):

1. Set Program Pointer to main ruotine:
   1. Go to Controller/RAPID tab
   2. Expand TCP_socket module
   3. Right-click main routine and Set Program Pointer to Routine
2. If running a simulation (virtual controller)
   1. Go to Simulation tab and press Play
   2. The robot will move to a predefined home position and start the socket server
3. If running on real robot
   1. Connect to robot controller via MGMT port
   2. Go to the Code app on the FlexPendant
   3. Make sure Program Pointer is set to TCP_socket
   4. Press play button
   5. The robot will move to a predefined home position and start the socket server

Once the RAPID module is running, start the Python node to establish connection.

Error troubleshooting

Socket Error

• Make sure that the IP address and port number match both in the python node and RAPID module
• RobotStudio returns a socket error even if the socket connection is closed by the client node
• To reset the error, set the Program Pointer back to the routine in RobotStudio

Robot Error

Make sure that the trajectory is feasible to follow for the robot:

• There are no parallel consecutive joints
• The robot does not pass through a singular configuration

Firewall settings in RobotStudio

Make sure that Rapid sockets are not blocked by the Firewall Manager in RobotStudio. To enable Rapid socket:

1. Go to Controller > click Configuration > Communication
2. Select Firewall Manager
3. Double click on RapidSockets and set all the values to Yes
4. Restart the controller

Contacts

For questions, suggestions or contributions, feel free to contact:

• Arturo Giacobbe – arturo.giacobbe@polimi.it

Citation

If you found this repo useful, please consider mentioning it in your work

@misc{ABB_Gofa_socket_2025,
  author       = {Arturo Giacobbe},
  title        = {ABB GoFa socket},
  year         = 2025,
  publisher    = {GitHub},
  journal      = {GitHub repository},
  howpublished = {\url{https://github.com/artuurog/ABB_GoFa_socket}},
}